Man gets 20 years for role in home invasion

Published: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 04:30 PM.

FORT WALTON BEACH — The first of five men charged in connection with the killing of William Bowen early this year has been sentenced.

Anthony Michael Gay was sentenced to 20 years in state prison after he pleaded no contest last week to being a principal to an attempted home invasion.

Stephanie Hughes, Bowen’s mother who lives in Columbus, Miss., said she was notified Saturday that the 25-year-old man took a plea deal and will testify against the other men charged with her son’s death.

Bowen, 24, was shot in the chest early Jan. 26 while trying to stop an armed robbery at his home on Alder Avenue in Fort Walton Beach. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The incident was one in a string of robberies at the time, according to Bobby Elmore with the state attorney’s office.

Three men — 26-year-old Marcell Dior Richie, 23-year-old Richard Daniel Vaughn and 21-year-old Robert Lovell Vaughn — were charged in May with first-degree murder and attempted home invasion with a firearm. The men will also be charged in a home invasion robbery on Virginia Oak Court on Jan 22.

Gay and 24-year-old Dustin Michael Sims were charged with being a principal to first-degree murder and principal to attempted home invasion with a firearm.

The charge of principal to first-degree murder against Gay was dropped, according to court records. He will testify in December against the other defendants.

“He has entered into an agreement that he will testify truthfully against all persons connected with the William Bowen attempted robbery and murder,” Elmore said.

The other four men charged are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 3, according to court records. Elmore said the trial dates likely will be pushed back to sometime in 2013.

The state attorney’s office is seeking the death penalty against Richie and Richard Vaughn, according to Elmore. A life sentence is being sought for Robert Vaughn, and a possible life sentence is being sought for Sims.

Gay was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the home invasion and an additional five years to be served consecutively for charges of possession of a controlled substance.

Hughes said she wanted a harsher sentence for Gay, but said his testimony should help put the other men behind bars. She said she plans to attend the trial.

“I’ll be sitting in that courtroom every day,” Hughes said. “I’m not sure how I’m going to do it. I keep trying to think about it.

“I know it’s going to be hard, but I want them to look at my face and know what they did to my son.”

FORT WALTON BEACH — The first of five men charged in connection with the killing of William Bowen early this year has been sentenced.

Anthony Michael Gay was sentenced to 20 years in state prison after he pleaded no contest last week to being a principal to an attempted home invasion.

Stephanie Hughes, Bowen’s mother who lives in Columbus, Miss., said she was notified Saturday that the 25-year-old man took a plea deal and will testify against the other men charged with her son’s death.

Bowen, 24, was shot in the chest early Jan. 26 while trying to stop an armed robbery at his home on Alder Avenue in Fort Walton Beach. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The incident was one in a string of robberies at the time, according to Bobby Elmore with the state attorney’s office.

Three men — 26-year-old Marcell Dior Richie, 23-year-old Richard Daniel Vaughn and 21-year-old Robert Lovell Vaughn — were charged in May with first-degree murder and attempted home invasion with a firearm. The men will also be charged in a home invasion robbery on Virginia Oak Court on Jan 22.

Gay and 24-year-old Dustin Michael Sims were charged with being a principal to first-degree murder and principal to attempted home invasion with a firearm.

The charge of principal to first-degree murder against Gay was dropped, according to court records. He will testify in December against the other defendants.

“He has entered into an agreement that he will testify truthfully against all persons connected with the William Bowen attempted robbery and murder,” Elmore said.

The other four men charged are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 3, according to court records. Elmore said the trial dates likely will be pushed back to sometime in 2013.

The state attorney’s office is seeking the death penalty against Richie and Richard Vaughn, according to Elmore. A life sentence is being sought for Robert Vaughn, and a possible life sentence is being sought for Sims.

Gay was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the home invasion and an additional five years to be served consecutively for charges of possession of a controlled substance.

Hughes said she wanted a harsher sentence for Gay, but said his testimony should help put the other men behind bars. She said she plans to attend the trial.

“I’ll be sitting in that courtroom every day,” Hughes said. “I’m not sure how I’m going to do it. I keep trying to think about it.

“I know it’s going to be hard, but I want them to look at my face and know what they did to my son.”